The Rotspawn
Rotspawn are demons that are created by those who are corrupted through the demonic spores of Zuggtmoy. However, the cause for this corruption is much more subtle than that of other demon lords. Whereas most forms of demon corruption are through abyssal incantations and rituals, rotspawn are typically created indirectly by twisting one's connection to nature through demonic spores.
Druidic Corruption
Rotspawn typically are created from druids and other humanoids who are closely attuned to nature. Unfortunately, this connection to nature can cause them to be unwittingly exposed to the spores of the Demon Queen of Fungi. These spores slowly decay both the minds and bodies of these individuals turning them into a fungal-ridden demonspawn. Fully infected rotspawn are covered in countless fungal sprouts, mycelia, and lichen that vaguely resembles a humanoid form.
Agents of Decay
Unlike other demonspawn, rotspawn do not truly possess any true form of autonomy as they are now merely extensions of Zuggtmoy's will. The only desire of the rotspawn is to ensure the spread of life. However, the form of life it spreads is a plague of fungi that consumes and assimilates all in its path.
Rotplague
The primary way the rotspawn can corrupt living things is through a demonic spore known as the Rotplague. Creatures are able to contract this disease by exposure to spores contained in the miasma that surrounds a rotspawn. This disease is extremely contagious as the rotspawn is able to infuse this contagion in their spells as well as their natural attacks. While infected, the rotplague begins to drain their victim's vitality as numerous fungal growths begin to appear across their body. Due to the demonic nature of this disease, the only known cures for this disease is extremely powerful divine magics such as Greater Restoration or Dispel Evil and Good.
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Battle Tactics
In combat, the rotspawn's only agenda is to infect as many creatures as it can at a time. As it merely is a pawn of Zuggtmoy, it hardly has any sense of self-preservation and will attack hostile creatures, even if clearly outmatched. After all, its true purpose is to infect a creature rather than to destroy it.
Debilitating Spores
The rotspawn's initial strategy is typically an attempt to poison as many creatures as possible as that is the key to corrupting new hosts. Despite being a thrall of Zuggtmoy, they are reasonably intelligent and will resort clever uses of their poisonous effects, focusing on spells that also debilitate their enemies such as Stinking Cloud or Hypnotic Pattern. This strategy is quite important, especially if the rotspawn is fighting well prepared opponents, as it gives the demon time to kill its opponent before they can cure themselves using potions or spells. Since rotspawn do not fear death, they are notorious for charging into large groups of enemies when heavily injured seeking to infect as many creatures as possible with Death Burst ability.
Adventurer Tactics
When battling a rotspawn, one should be extremely prepared to counter its infectious spores. Due to the demonic nature of the disease, most forms of protection against the rotspawn are quite useless. Instead, it is much more efficient to have tools available to cure any form of Rotplague infection. To minimize chances of infection, it is recommended not to engage rotspawn in melee combat due to their swirling miasma of spores. However, if one does resort to ranged combat, it is important to stay spread apart to prevent the rotspawn from targeting all their opponents in a Cloudkill spell or similar area of effects.
Rotspawn
Medium fiend (demon), chaotic evil
- Armor Class 16(Natural Armor)
- Hit Points 85(10d8+40)
- Speed 30ft., climb 30ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 17 (+3) 15 (+2) 18 (+4) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 19 (+4)
- Saving Throws Con +7
- Skills Stealth +5, Perception +5
- Damage Resistances Cold, Fire, Lightning, Necrotic
- Immunities Poison
- Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 15
- Languages Common, Abyssal, Druidic, telepathy 60ft.
- Proficiency Bonus +3
- Challenge 7(2900 xp)
Death Burst When the rotspawn is reduced to 0 hitpoints, it explodes spreading demonic spores in a 20ft. radius. Creatures within range must succeed a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed saving throw, creatures within range take 21(6d6) poison damage and are poisoned for one minute. On a successful saving throw, creatures take half damage and are not poisoned.
Demon Spore The rotspawn's attacks and effects can ignore resistance and immunity to poison damage as well as immunity to the poisoned condition
False Appearance While motionless, the rotspawn is indistinguishable from a Medium fungi
Magic Resistance The rotspawn has advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects
Rotplague Creatures poisoned by the rotspawn are also infected with Rotplague that lasts until the creature is cured of the disease (via Greater Restoration or Dispel Evil and Good) or until it dies.
While infected in this way, the creature cannot be reinfected and cannot regain hitpoints for the duration. Affected creatures must repeat a DC 15 Constitution saving throw at the end of every 24 hours, ending the infection on a success. On a failed saving throw, the target's hitpoint maximum is reduced by 21(6d6) and this damage cannot be reduced by any means as its body is slowly consumed with fungal growths.
If a creature drops to 0 hitpoints while infected with the rotplague, it immediately dies and reanimates as a rotspawn at the start of its next turn.
Spider Climb The rotspawn can climb difficult surfaces without needing to make an ability check.
Stench Any creature other than a rotspawn that starts its turn within 10 feet of the rotspawn must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed saving throw, creatures are poisoned until the start of the creature's next turn. On a successful saving throw, the creature is immune to the stench of any rotspawn for 1 hour.
Innate Spellcasting
At Will Detect Animals and Plants, Entangle, Ray of Sickness
3/day each Blight, Stinking Cloud
1/day each Cloudkill, Hypnotic Pattern, Plant Growth
Actions
Multiattack. The rotspawn can make two attacks of its choice with either its Rotting Touch or Abyssal Blight
Rotting Touch Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, 10ft., one target. Hit: 7(1d8+3) bludgeoning damage. On a hit, the target must succeed a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed saving throw, the target must take 11(3d6) poison damage and is poisoned for one minute. On a successful saving throw, creatures take half damage and are not poisoned. Poisoned creatures can repeat its saving throw at the end of each of its turns ending the effect on a success.
Abyssal Blight Ranged Attack: +7 to hit, 90ft., one target. Hit: 15(3d6+4) poison damage. On a hit, the target must succeed a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed saving throw, the target is poisoned until the end of its next turn.
Bonus Actions
Fungal Stride As a bonus action, the rotspawn can step magically into one living mushroom or fungus patch within 5 feet and emerge from another within 60 feet of the first one, appearing in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the second mushroom or fungus patch. The mushrooms and patches must be Large or bigger.